


Wake Up

by sunlightdances (glowinghorizons)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Car Accidents, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 07:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17658800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glowinghorizons/pseuds/sunlightdances
Summary: Bucky is still in disbelief. He’s worried about her since the minute he met her. He fell in love with her practically at first sight, and spent every day since then trying to prepare himself for the inevitability that she would be taken away from him by HYDRA, or someone else out to rip away anything good in his life.He never counted on this.





	Wake Up

**Author's Note:**

> My prompts were: "Tucking their hair behind their ear to help them get it out of their face" and "rubbing the back of their hand with a thumb".

“She’ll wake up soon, Buck.” Steve’s hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “She’s a fighter.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything. His flesh hand has been in hers for almost an entire day, his thumb tracing mindless patterns on her hand, hoping she’ll open her eyes and tell him to cut it out with that gleam in her eyes.

“She never should have been there.” Bucky says, his voice rough with disuse. “She was coming to see me. It’s my—“

“It’s not your fault.” Steve’s voice is fierce. “And it won’t do you any good to keep thinking that way.”

Bucky is still in disbelief. He’s worried about her since the minute he met her. He fell in love with her practically at first sight, and spent every day since then trying to prepare himself for the inevitability that she would be taken away from him by HYDRA, or someone else out to rip away anything good in his life.

He never counted on this.

A car accident.

She was on her way to his apartment in Brooklyn. A quiet night at home together before he had to muster up the strength to be at one of Tony’s massive Christmas parties at the Tower.

This was his one wish. A home cooked meal with his girl.

And look at where it had gotten him.

He heard the noise outside on the street before a feeling of dread hit him so hard it almost brought him to his knees.

The driver who t-boned her car had taken off and Bucky had refused anyone’s help, carrying her halfway to the hospital before he finally broke down and called Steve, calling an ambulance shortly after that.

She’d been ripped away from him for surgery, and then there was nothing to do but wait.

Bucky hates waiting.

“I’m going to get a coffee.” He announces, his fingers and toes itching with the need to get out of there before anxiety eats him alive.

“Buck—“

“Just stay with her for a few minutes, okay?” He asks, looking up at his best friend, who looks as helpless as Bucky feels.

He leans forward and gently pushes a strand of hair behind her ear, then leaves the room quickly, a scream bubbling up in his throat.

.

.

.

He’s leaning against the wall in the visitor lounge, his sweatshirt forgotten over the back of a chair, his metal arm and the scowl on his face scaring away anyone who tries to tell him he can’t just hang out here all night.

“Bucky.”

Sam. Bucky normally would welcome his sense of humor in a situation like this, but he can’t do it right now. Not with her.

“I’m not in the mood.”

“She’s awake.”

His head snaps up. “What?”

“She woke up a few minutes ago. She’s groggy and doesn’t really understand where she is, but you better come down to her room.”

Bucky doesn’t think he’s ever moved so fast. When they get to her room, he can hear Steve talking to her in a low voice, the answering sound of her voice like music to her ears. He closes his eyes, relief flooding through him so strongly he’s worried he won’t be able to hold himself upright.

“Go.” Sam urges, and for once, Bucky listens.

He enters the room and Steve turns, a smile on his face. Over his shoulder, Bucky meets her eyes, and can’t hold back the grin threatening to overtake his features.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“Sarge,” she says, her voice weak. “Been waiting on you.”

“I was gone for five minutes.” He says, coming to sit on the edge of her bed, his hands automatically finding hers and squeezing.

“Felt like longer.” She says quietly, and dimly Bucky realizes that Sam and Steve have left the room.

He leans down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Scared the livin’ daylights outta me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“‘S not your fault-“

“It’s not yours either,” she says, pulling back far enough to see his face. “Please remember that.”

He smiles gently. “I’ll try. Gotta worry about getting you better, first.”

He smooths down her hair gently, trying to hide the way his flesh hand shakes. He was so close to losing her. So close. He can’t stand the thought of that ever happening again.

“Thinking maybe you’d recover quicker if you weren’t all alone in that apartment,” he says before he can talk himself out of it.

Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “Is that right?”

“Mhmm. Probably should stay a while after you’re healed, too. Just to be sure.”

“James Buchanan Barnes, are you asking me to move in with you?” She asks, eyes sparkling. The cuts and bruises on her face don’t stop her from grinning at him.

He rolls his eyes fondly. “I suppose I am.” Selfishly, he doesn’t want her out of his sight. More than that, he doesn’t want to waste any more time. He wants her forever, however he can get her. “I was going to give you a key for Christmas. Figured this is better.”

“Best Christmas present ever.” She agrees, leaning in so she can kiss him.


End file.
